


Metamorphosis

by Hufflepuff_Scamander, mendacium_dulce (lux_veritatis)



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: BAMF Nagini, F/M, Maledictus Nagini, Morally Black Tom Riddle, Sane Tom Riddle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:41:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23095756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hufflepuff_Scamander/pseuds/Hufflepuff_Scamander, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lux_veritatis/pseuds/mendacium_dulce
Summary: metamorphosisnoun [ C/U ]US  /ˌmet̬·əˈmɔr·fə·sɪs/plural metamorphoses US/ˌmet̬·əˈmɔr·fəˌsiz/a complete change of character, appearance, or condition---Faced with the opportunity to escape her terrible life as a circus freak upon encountering a mysterious handsome stranger, Nagini transforms into something no one would have deemed possible.
Relationships: Nagini/Tom Riddle, Nagini/Tom Riddle | Voldemort
Kudos: 28





	Metamorphosis

**Author's Note:**

> Tom Riddle is written by Hufflepuff_Scamander; Nagini is written by mendacium_dulce.

Ever since she could remember, Nagini had been a member of Circus Arcanus. Her parents had abandoned her, Skender had told her gleefully, for there was no place in this world for an underbeing like her other than his circus, and Nagini had merely nodded, accepting his words as though they had been an objective truth.

After all, she was indeed different from those above her, shifting into a venomous serpent whenever she slept, and despite her fangs, despite her venom, she had never made an attempt to harm the ones treating her badly, never recognizing the abuse directed at her as unjust.

Upon reading a newspaper article describing the escape of the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald as well as the populace's fear of him, Nagini once again realized how little she cared about the most recent events taking place in the Wizarding World, for they had never affected her personally and there were no loved ones in her life whose well-being was a concern to her. Indeed, her wretched existence was devoid of meaning and purpose regardless of whether the prestigious Aurors were once again fighting a threat endangering their society as a whole, hence she was just about to put away her newspaper in favor of reading a book when she picked up on the sound of approaching footsteps.

'They're not Skender's,' Nagini thought, a touch bemused, though she quickly hid her newspaper as though she were about to be caught doing something forbidden and rose from her bed regardless, for habits so firmly ingrained in one's body and mind were always hard to break.

A moment later, she was standing face to face with a young man, who couldn't be older than his early twenties. The stranger's beauty was unearthly. Perfectly-coiffed dark hair and consuming dark eyes set a lovely contrast to his fair skin, his full lips to his hollowed cheeks and sharp jawline. His long coat was well-fitting and timeless, accentuating his broad shoulders and his toned arms in a way that reminded Nagini more of an idealized painting than a mere human made of flesh and blood.

“Who are you?” she whispered. “You shouldn't be here.”

“I am... Tom Riddle,” the stranger murmured, and his voice was deep and melodious. “You shouldn't be here either.”

It was impossible for Nagini to not notice the young man's intense gaze, the confidence in every aspect of his body language, and she couldn't help but ask, “How could I belong anywhere but here?”

After a brief pause, she whispered with more urgency, “He'll punish you if he catches you.”

The young man's eyes glowed dangerously, almost looking red for the fraction of a second.

“You needn't worry about me.”

He opened his coat slightly, revealing a pale wand.

“I am more than capable of protecting myself, should he attempt to lay a finger on me.”

Sensing the danger radiating from the handsome young man, Nagini backed away, wondering if he intended to harm her as well, and it was impossible for her to not believe his every word, for the certainty in his voice was unwavering.

The stranger's lips curled into a small, dark smile as he continued, “You are also capable of protecting yourself… in fact, you could kill him, if you wished. You could crush him, poison him with your fangs. Why do you let him live when he treats you like a freak, keeping you locked in a cage? I think deep inside, you know that you can be more… I can feel your power, lying just beneath the surface. If you never leave this cage, you will never live up to your potential.”

“There is no place in this world for an underbeing like me other than this circus,” Nagini said, dejected.

The stranger narrowed his eyes, and his handsome features twisted into a scowl.

“ _Nonsense_ ,” he hissed, causing Nagini to flinch in immediate reaction.“It would be such a waste for you to rot away in this wretched place. You are not below these vermin, you could be superior to them, don't you see that? They only tell you that you're an underbeing because they are afraid. They are afraid of your power, how easily you could kill them all. So they've put you in this cage, they want to make you docile and weak, so you don't fight back.”

Indeed, it had long occurred to Nagini that the purpose of her cage's bars was to ensure Skender's safety, that Skender had always made sure that the two of them were separated by bars, for despite his superiority, despite his harshness and confidence, he was afraid of her, who was a monster, a beast, and she doubted that she could ever be more than that.

Regardless, something had stirred within her in response to the stranger's – Tom Riddle's – words yet when she was just about to examine the spark that had been ignited within her, her ears picked up on Skender's approaching footsteps, and she wondered whether Tom Riddle was truly more powerful than the man who had been imprisoning her for her entire life like he had claimed he was.

It puzzled her how this time, it was impossible for her to not care about the outcome of the impending confrontation, how a growing part of her wanted Tom Riddle to be the one who emerged as the victor. But was it really safe for her to hope?

At the very least, Nagini thought, it wouldn't be her who would be punished.

“ _What_ are you doing here?” Skender demanded the very moment he laid his eyes on Tom Riddle, and his voice was low and dangerous “Only I am allowed to come back here! What are you doing talking to _her_?”

He took a threatening step towards Tom Riddle, who turned to face the ringmaster with his eyes narrowed into crimson slits.

Slender fingers reached into his coat, pulling out his pale wand in one quick, graceful motion. “My, quite the _possessive_ sort, are you?”

“Leave this instant, I’m warning you!”

Tom Riddle laughed, and it was a cruel, taunting laugh – a laugh promising pain and suffering. “I can do whatever I wish, you have no power over me. You don't know who you're dealing with.”

He pointed his wand towards Skender, and his eyes – crimson pools gleaming with unconcealed bloodlust – burned into the ringmaster's.

Skender raised his own wand, most likely to direct one of his vicious Stinging Hexes at Tom Riddle, but Tom Riddle was faster.

“ _Crucio.”_

Red sparks fell from Tom Riddle's pale wand, and the very moment they connected with Skender's chest, the ringleader's knees gave in, and Tom Riddle's lips curled into a sadistic smile as Skender screamed and writhed in agony.

Nagini watched the scene unfold with morbid fascination, unable to keep herself from enjoying the sight of Skender’s torture, the sight of him crawling in the dirt like an animal, and her lips parted slightly.

Tom Riddle turned back to Nagini, extending his hand. The locks on the cage turned and twisted, and the door to the cage flew open.

“Well, are you going to come with me, or would you prefer to stay caged here?” he asked expectantly, awaiting her answer.

Nagini had watched the flawless display of wandless, non-verbal magic in awe, and her gaze shifted from Skender to Tom Riddle. Now that she had witnessed Tom Riddle’s immense strength, it would have been foolish of her to not believe him, yet there was one final doubt.

“Where would I be going to?” she therefore asked.

“You would come with me and become my follower… my _first_ , actually.” Tom Riddle admitted. “I can sense that you enjoyed seeing him suffer.”

He gestured to Skender, still thrashing and yelling.

“I can teach _you_ how to do that, so that you can torture him yourself. If you join me, I can help you reach your full potential. How would you like that?”

“I don't have a place to live, “ Nagini voiced the immediate thought at the forefront of her mind, for at this point, her concerns were rather practical in nature.

“Then I'll give you one.” Tom Riddle said matter-of-factly. “You can live with me in my flat.”

“In that case… I’ll come with you,” Nagini decided, knowing that it was her only chance at a better life, though she couldn't prevent a subtle blush at the thought of living with a young man from creeping onto her features.

Tom Riddle walked over to her, offering his hand.

“You won't regret joining me, I promise you.” He paused for a moment. “I don't believe I caught your name… what is it?”

“My name is Nagini,” she said, hesitantly placing her delicate hand atop his, and her heart skipped a beat when Tom Riddle closed his larger hand around it.

“Nagini,” he repeated her name slowly, and his melodious voice caressed the syllables as though they were something precious. “That name fits you well.”

***

Days had passed since he had freed Nagini from Circus Arcanus, but he was still _seething_ . To see a Maledictus who could take the powerful, majestic form of a _snake_ – the same animal that Salazar Slytherin, and himself, had such a deep connection to – be ridiculed, mocked, and left to rot her life away in a cage disgusted and enraged him. 

Tom also wondered what Nagini could do if she was given more magical training, she hadn't reacted with fear when he had hurt Skender… in fact, she seemed very _interested_ in what he was doing. He knew he would probably have to start her off with basic spells, but if he could train her in the Dark Arts… she could be very useful to him.

He had also taken it upon himself to purchase different clothes for her to wear, not that tacky, revealing costume that Skender had dressed her in. Tom could tell Nagini was uncomfortable wearing it. She always was trying to cover herself up in embarrassment. Quite frankly, _he_ didn't like to see her dressed that way either. He barely knew her, so to see so much of her exposed skin made him uncomfortable as well… it just felt so _wrong_ to him.

Tom didn't look at her body much, if at all. He simply had no desire to, he never had with anyone. He had noticed a subtle change in Nagini’s demeanor over the last few days; she slowly seemed to be getting more relaxed around him. She was still a bit timid at times, but not as frightened as she had been when they first met. He supposed not being gawked at and leered at all the time probably helped.

He purchased some proper robes befitting a witch, most of them were in shades of blue since the color suited her so well… but he had purchased some robes in Slytherin green as well. The green robes wouldn't be given to her just yet; those he would save to give when she proved her complete loyalty to him. 

When he had presented her with the blue robes, Nagini had been very grateful and thanked him, even showing a hint of a smile. She seemed less tense now that she was in less revealing attire, and less stiff as she started to move more comfortably. 

As they were having breakfast together, he had brought up how they would begin Nagini’s training when he noticed a very sudden change in her body language. She was curled in on herself, looking insecure and nervous. Nagini looked as though her breath was caught in her throat, and that there was something she wanted to tell him, but felt like she couldn't. 

Tom glanced down at her hands, which were fidgeting slightly. 

“Nagini,” he started, his voice firm, but not threatening. “I can't help but notice that you seem a bit… anxious whenever we talk about your training. Is there something you wish to tell me?”

For a moment, Nagini looked alarmed and she flinched – as though she were expecting to be punished or scolded harshly. “I sincerely apologize for troubling you, Mr. Riddle, but… I have never owned a wand.”

Tom was certainly displeased to hear this, though he supposed it shouldn't be a surprise, Nagini had spent her entire life locked away after all. 

“You needn’t apologize for that, Nagini,” he spoke carefully, seeing how she had flinched at his earlier question. “It's not your fault that you don't have a wand. I know a place where we can obtain a wand for you.”

At least some of the tension that appeared to have been coursing through Nagini’s body dissipated, and she released her pent-up breath. At the same time, there was now a hint of excitement in her eyes – most likely at the prospect of obtaining her very first wand.

“You needn't worry about the cost either. I have enough money to pay for it.” He laid his hand over hers, taking care to be gentle, so he didn't startle her. 

“Also, don't feel ashamed about your lack of training or education. You were kept from your birthright, and that is the fault of those who judged you as less than for being a Maledictus. I have confidence that with training, you can become a powerful witch.”

Nagini gave a subtle start in reaction to Tom placing his hand atop hers, but after a moment, she relaxed, though she did look bemused when Tom absolved her of any fault so easily, for it appeared as though she had been used to being blamed for things she had no influence on. 

“Thank you, Mr. Riddle,” she said softly. “You are too kind.” 

Tom took Nagini to Ollivanders, widely acknowledged to be the best Wandmakers in Great Britain. He had also purchased his wand here. As they walked down Diagon Alley to the Wand Shop, memories of picking up his school supplies and getting his wand at 11 years old came flooding back to him. For him, these were mostly fond memories. He had discovered he was a wizard, and obtaining his wand was the first step down the path to greatness, to becoming so much _more_ than an orphaned nobody. He was sure that his new companion would feel the same way once she obtained her own wand.

When they entered the shop, Ollivander’s eyes lit up a bit when he recognized Tom.

“Ah, hello Mr. Riddle!” he greeted Tom cheerfully. “What a nice surprise it is to see you again.” 

He then noticed Nagini, who was standing very close to Tom. 

“I'm not sure if I've met _her_ before, however… “ Ollivander looked Nagini up and down, clearly trying to remember if he had ever met any younger Hogwarts students that resembled her. 

“You most likely haven't.” Tom said matter of factly. “My friend never went to Hogwarts or received any formal education in magic even though she is a witch. I'm going to be teaching her some basic spells,” and the Unforgivable Curses. But Ollivander didn't need to know that. “She doesn't own a wand either, so I've brought her here to fix that problem.”

“Well, you've come to the right place then.” Ollivander smiled warmly at them. 

The Wandmaker went and picked out some wands that he thought would work for Nagini. She looked dejected when the first six wands all rejected her, yet she kept trying them dutifully, never complaining or giving a voice to her insecurities. 

“Don't worry, it is actually common to go through several different wands before finding the right one.” Ollivander said kindly.

Right then, Tom realized what the problem was: Ollivander, seeing how quiet and seemingly demure Nagini was, was picking wands for her based on that. However, Tom had seen her reaction to Skender’s torture. He had a gut feeling that she would probably do well with a wand more suited to the Dark Arts. 

“Hm… this may be a stretch, but…” the Wandmaker started looking through more wands, pulling one out. “Perhaps we could try this… this one is made of Walnut Wood and has a Dragon Heartstring Core.”

Nagini carefully took the wand, handling it almost reverently, and her marvel at its beauty was unconcealed. When she waved it, green and silver sparks shot from its tip, and there was a sparkle in Nagini’s dark eyes.

“Yes, indeed, oh, very good. However, this is most curious, for the walnut wand only chooses those of a high intellect. Then again, even the brightest wizards don't have as profound an insight as their wands.”

Tom raised a brow at Ollivander’s words. He was actually a bit surprised to see such a wand respond better to her compared to the others. However, he wasn't completely satisfied. While the wand responded well enough, he remembered how his own wand had responded to him, and this reaction just wasn't what he was looking for. He was also a perfectionist: if he was going to train Nagini, then would settle for nothing less than a perfect wand. 

“It does seem to respond well enough, I suppose. However, I remember when I obtained my own wand… the response was a bit grander than that. Perhaps we should try a few more wands before deciding on this one.” Tom suggested.

“A bit ambitious, are we? Very well. I recall the day you walked into my shop as a young boy, just like I recall every other customer I ever had. I do not know your lady friend as well as you do, but if you believe her to be capable of eliciting a similar response from a wand…” He looked through more wands before procuring another beautiful dark wand. “Perhaps this one…” 

She took the wand, and her lips parted in a silent gasp the very moment her delicate hand closed around its handle. When she waved it, there was at least thrice the amount of sparks compared to the Walnut Wand, and their green was even brighter.

He gasped audibly. “Splendid, most splendid!” he exclaimed. “Cedar chooses those with exceptional loyalty and strength of character… However, Aged Cedar also requires a sharp mind and a perceptive nature.” 

Tom’s dark eyes widened a bit in surprise. He didn't know much about wands admittedly, but he did know those who had such a wand tended to be powerful adversaries. Perhaps there was more to Nagini than he had first thought. 

“That response certainly was better, I believe this wand is the one…” He looked at Nagini. “What do you think, Nagini?"

Nagini had looked a touch bashful in response to Ollivander listing these particular positive qualities. In response to Tom’s question, she said, “Indeed. With this wand, I may be able to meet your expectations.” 

The corners of Tom’s lips turned in a small, pleased smile. His standards were quite high indeed, but perhaps Nagini may just be able to meet them.


End file.
